Impact actuated asphalt compound checker or cutter



May 5, 1964 L. HUNSAKER IMPACT ACTUATED ASPHALT COMPOUND CHECKEIR OR CUTTER Filed Dec. 10, 1962 L 80 Hunsaifer INVENTOR.

H18 J2 GENT United States Patent "ice 3,131,683 IMPACT ACTUATED ASPHALT COMPOUND tIHECKER 0R CUTTER Leo Hunsaker, 1537 NW. 41st St., Oklahoma City, Okla. Filed Dec. 10, 1962, Ser. No. 243,670 4 Claims. (Cl. 125-40) This invention relates to an improvement in asphalt compound checkers, and more particularly to an asphalt compound checker which may be used to speedily and accurately groove asphalt compound that has been spread and compacted to a substantially level surface. The present tool enables the cutting of a straight groove to enable the removal, along a straight line, of a portion of the compacted asphalt, thereby enabling the replacement of asphalt compound to neatly repair the portion of the level surface, and at the same time enabling the newly applied portion of asphalt compound to be brought into close sealing relation with the adjacent asphalt compound which has not been removed.

Heretofore the removal of asphalt compound by the use of picks, chopping axes, and the like often resulted in uneven, jagged edges along the sides of the portion being removed and of the portions remaining, therefore when new asphalt compound was put into the place from whence the asphalt compound had been removed, it often presented an uneven, unsightly patch. The present device enables the cutting of compacted asphalt along a uniform line which will enable the old asphalt compound to be removed along a uniform straight line and an asphalt patching compound to be substituted therefor, thereby enabling a roller to be used so that the newly applied asphalt compound can be compacted along the uniform line to effect a sealing action between the newly applied asphalt compound and the asphalt compound which remained in place. I

An object of this invention is to provide a tool which is used in conjunction with an impact tool to enable asphalt compound to be checked or creased in a substantially straight line to enable the removal of a section of asphalt compound for repair, or for replacement of the asphalt compound with other asphalt compound or the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tool having the handle thereof so constructed as to enable the tool to be guided while an impact tool is used thereon, so as to enable two workmen to speedily check or cut asphalt compound on a road bed or the like for removal.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a tool that is simple and sturdy in construction, low in the cost of manufacture, easy to use, and that has a minimum of parts to become damaged or inoperable.

With these objects in view and others which will become manifest as the description proceeds, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing in which like reference characters designate like parts in the several views thereof, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the asphalt compound checker tool;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the tool positioned in upright cutting position;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the tool, showing a fragmentary portion of the asphalt compound being checked or cut away, with portions being shown in section, and showing an impact tool, such as a sledge hammer, in contact relation therewith; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an end, top, and side of the blade of the tool removed from the handle.

With more detailed reference to the drawing, the numeral 1 designates generally the asphalt compound checking tool having a blade 2. The upper face 4 of blade 2 is elongated and has a flattened surface throughout the 3,131,683 Patented May 5, 1964 length thereof. The blade 2 tapers downwardly and converges to form an edge 6. One end of the blade 2 has an outwardly extending neck 8 thereon which is preferably made integral therewith and which neck is apertured, as indicated at 10. Handle 12 has a T-member 14 secured thereto on the upper end thereof as by welding or the like to enable a Workman to grip the handle with both hands so as to hold the handle 12 to which the blade 2 is attached. The blade 2 is attached to the handle by fastening means such as bolts 16 passing through apertures in the lower end of the handle 12 and through apertures 10 in the outwardly extending neck 8 which securely joins the handle 12 to the blade 2. As shown in the present instance, the lower end of the handle 12 is bifurcated to form a socket to receive the neck 8 of blade 2 therein.

The handle 12, with the blade 2 n upright position as indicated in FIG. 3, is curved, as indicated at 20, so that the handle will extend outwardly and forwardly so that the T-mernber 14 of the handle 12 will be at a conventional working height for the workman to move the tool 1 along the asphalt compound being cut or checked.

An impact tool, such as a sledge hammer 22, is used by a second workman in conjunction with the tool 1 so the checking or grooving, as indicated at 21, of asphalt compound 24 may be accurately and expeditiously carried out.

The blade 2 is preferably of high quality tool steel and the upper face 4 forms a relatively broad surface to receive the impact on the blade 2, by the impact tool, such as a sledge hammer 22. The sledge hammer 22 is shown only as being representative of an impact tool to be used.

The handle 12 may either be tubular or solid, but it is preferable to have the handle tubular, as indicated by the break away in FIG. 3. The blade may vary in length, but it has been found on hand operated tools, utilizing a sledge hammer 22 as an impact tool, that a blade 2 from eleven inches to thirteen and one-half inches long is a Operation To remove a section of asphalt compound from an asphalt surface, such as a road bed or the like, the particular area to be removed is carefully laid out, as by a chalked line which is stretched along the lines on which the asphaltic compound is to be cut and removed. In each instance the chalked line is snapped in the usual manner so as to deposit a line of chalk on the surface of the asphaltic compound. Then with the rear end 3 of the blade 2 at the juncture of two intersecting chalk lines and with the tool 1 held in upright position, as indicated in FIGS. 2 and 3, a blow from an impact tool 22 is directed against the face '4 of the blade 2, whereupon the edge 6 of the blade 2 is driven the desired distance into the asphaltic compound, then by raising the forward end, or T-member 14, of the handle until the forward end of the blade 2 is clear of the upper surface of the asphaltic compound 24, the blade 2 is moved forward less than the full length thereof so that the trailing or rear end B of the blade 2 is in register with the groove or cut '21 made in the asphaltic compound 24 by the previous blow of the impact tool 22. Then with the workmen holding the handle 12 in upright position by gripping the handle by T-mcmber 14, a further blow is delivered by impact tool 22 on face 4 to drive the tool into the asphaltic compound 24. Upon successive movements of blade 2 in the above manner and upon successive blows he by impact tool 22, a section of asphaltic compound to be removed, either in the form of a rectangle or other desired pattern, may be cut, whereupon, upon loosening the asphaltic compound 24, if it is not completely severed, the groove or check 21 made by the tool will cause the remaining thickness to be easily broken, as the wedging action within the asphaltic compound will cause cracking beyond the lower edge 6 of blade 2.

With the asphaltic compound thus checked and re moved, a repair, utilizing asphaltic compound or concrete, can be made which will join uniformly with the smooth edge, and in the case of asphaltic compound the compacting may be readily effected by the use of conventional rollers to the exact edge or end of asphaltic compound already in place, and the new asphaltic com pound may be leveled to the exact surface much more easily than if the old asphaltic compound was removed along an irregular, ragged break.

While the blade 2 is preferably made of a hard alloy steel, should a blade become broken, or worn to such extent a new blade need be inserted, this may be readily done by removal of bolts 16 and the worn blade 2 and be inserting a new blade 2 within the bifurcation 18 in handle 12 and with the holes in handle 12 in register with the apertures. In the outwardly extending neck 8, the bolts 16 will readily be replaced and nuts used to secure the bolts in place.

It is to be particularly pointed out that the entire upper face surface 4 is unobscured for the entire length of blade 2 to enable the impact tool to be used at any point along the length thereof, so in event the asphaltic compound at the forward, rear, or center portion of the blade 2 resists cutting action of the blade, the blow of the impact tool 22 can be directed to the face 4 directly above the edge 6 where the resistance is greatest to cutting action of the blade.

Having thus clearly shown and described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A tool adapted to be moved progressively along an asphalt surface on the terrain for forming an elongated groove in asphaltic compound, which tool comprises in combination (a) an elongated, unitary blade of a solid mass of material,

(1) a relatively broad, uninterrupted, planar surface formed on a side of said unitary blade for the full length of said blade,

(i) said planar surface having a normal horizontal face and being adapted to receive the force of an impact tool thereon,

(2) said blade having the opposite elongated sides thereof sloping downwardly and inwardly uniformly to an apex to form a wedge-shaped blade with a sharp cutting edge,

(b) a neck made integral with said blade and extending from an end thereof adjacent the planar surface,

(1) said neck having apertures formed transversely thereof parallel to said planar surface of said blade,

(0) a handle,

(1) said handle being bifurcated at the lower end thereof to complementally receive said outwardly extending neck,

(2) said handle having transverse apertures formed therethrough to complementally register with the apertures formed in said outwardly extending neck,

(3) said handle extending outwardly and upwardly so as to form an acute angle with the vertical when said tool is in operating position,

(0') transverse fastening means passing through apertures in said handle and in said neck to rigidly secure said handle to said neck, and

(e) said handle having a transverse member secured to the upper end thereof to form a T.

2. A tool adapted to be moved progressively along an asphalt surface on the terrain for forming an elongated groove in asphaltic compound as defined in claim 1; wherein said outwardly extending handle is curved intermediate the neck and an upwardly extending portion thereof.

3. A tool adapted to be moved progressively along an asphalt surface on the terrain for forming an elongated groove in asphaltic compound as defined in claim 1; wherein said outwardly extending neck has the upper face thereof co-planar with said planar surface of said blade.

4. A tool adapted to be moved progressively along an asphalt surface on the terrain for forming an elongated groove in 'asphaltic compound as defined in claim 1; wherein said transverse fastening means are bolts attachably connecting said blade and said handle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,018,073 Nelson Feb. 20, 1912 2,503,757 Morgan Apr. 11, 1950 2,625,871 Miller Jan. 20, 1953 2,704,036 Briggs Mar. '15, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 169,398 Great Britain Sept. 29, 1921 

1. A TOOL ADAPTED TO BE MOVED PROGRESSIVELY ALONG AN ASPHALT SURFACE ON THE TERRAIN FOR FORMING AN ELONGATED GROOVE IN ASPHALTIC COMPOUND, WHICH TOOL COMPRISES IN COMBINATION: (A) AN ELONGATED, UNITARY BLADE OF A SOLID MASS OF MATERIAL, (1) A RELATIVELY BROAD, UNINTERRUPTED, PLANAR SURFACE FORMED ON A SIDE OF SAID UNITARY BLADE FOR THE FULL LENGTH OF SAID BLADE, (I) SAID PLANAR SURFACE HAVING A NORMAL HORIZONTAL FACE AND BEING ADAPTED TO RECEIVE THE FORCE OF AN IMPACT TOOL THEREON, (2) SAID BLADE HAVING THE OPPOSITE ELONGATED SIDES THEREOF SLOPING DOWNWARDLY AND INWARDLY UNIFORMLY TO AN APEX TO FORM A WEDGE-SHAPED BLADE WITH A SHARP CUTTING EDGE, (B) A NECK MADE INTEGRAL WITH SAID BLADE AND EXTENDING FROM AN END THEREOF ADJACENT THE PLANAR SURFACE, (1) SAID NECK HAVING APERTURES FORMED TRANSVERSELY THEREOF PARALLEL TO SAID PLANAR SURFACE OF SAID BLADE, (C) A HANDLE, (1) SAID HANDLE BEING BIFURCATED AT THE LOWER END THEREOF TO COMPLEMENTALLY RECEIVE SAID OUTWARDLY EXTENDING NECK, (2) SAID HANDLE HAVING TRANSVERSE APERTURES FORMED THERETHROUGH TO COMPLEMENTALLY REGISTER WITH THE APERTURES FORMED IN SAID OUTWARDLY EXTENDING NECK, (3) SAID HANDLE EXTENDING OUTWARDLY AND UPWARDLY SO AS TO FORM AN ACUTE ANGLE WITH THE VERTICAL WHEN SAID TOOL IS IN OPERATING POSITION, (D) TRANSVERSE FASTENING MEANS PASSING THROUGH APERTURES IN SAID HANDLE AND IN SAID NECK TO RIGIDLY SECURE SAID HANDLE TO SAID NECK, AND (E) SAID HANDLE HAVING A TRANSVERSE MEMBER SECURED TO THE UPPER END THEREOF TO FORM A T. 